A terrible attack happened at a local tavern in Bekkersdal. This town is west of Johannesburg. The violent event happened early Sunday morning. Sadly, nine people lost their lives. Ten others were badly hurt. They are now in the hospital.
Witnesses said about twelve attackers came in two cars. This was around 1:00 AM. They started shooting many bullets. The attackers had pistols and a rifle. They ran into the tavern. They shot at people who were not expecting it.
Some survivors told frightening stories. People were very scared and tried to run away. Two victims were shot while trying to escape. A taxi driver was killed. He had just dropped off a passenger nearby. Police are confused about why this happened.
Deputy Police Commissioner Maj-Gen Fred Kekana said the attack was "unprovoked." He said the violence was senseless. Residents came after the attackers left. They saw a very bad scene. "Scores of people were lying on the floor," said resident Nokuthula Bhukwana. Police are looking for the people who did this.
This terrible event happens when South Africa has many murders. This is a big problem for the country. This year, about 63 murders were reported each day. This makes South Africa have a high murder rate. Reasons for violence can be many things. However, the Bekkersdal shooting is hard to understand. Police are working hard to find the attackers. They want to know why they did this. Many communities in South Africa face this threat of crime.